In 1996, a jury declared Fr. Robert Kapoun guilty of molesting Dale Scheffler.

Across the US, many priests like Fr. Kapoun are either defrocked or forced to live in a monitored, supervised setting so they’ll be kept away from kids. Twin Cities Catholic Archbishop John Nienstadt refuses, however, to do either.

Nienstadt is being terribly reckless. He has no idea if Fr. Kapoun is molesting kids today.

And Nienstadt is being terribly callous, by essentially paying a monthly “bonus” to a proven predator.

We can’t help but wonder: how many other child molesting Twin Cities clerics are living on their own, among unsuspecting families, getting paid extra to do no work, and perhaps grooming or assaulting kids right now.

Our hearts ache for brave Dale Scheffler, one of Fr. Kapoun’s victims, who endured a public trial. The jury verdict against Fr. Kapoun and the archdiocese was overturned, and archdiocesan officials had the temerity and viciousness to send Scheffler a bill for $6,019.10 for their legal costs.

Dale is a hero. But he’s been victimized three times – first, by Fr. Kapoun, then, by the archdiocese and its mean-spirited legal tactics, and now by Archbishop Nienstadt who refuses to protect other kids from Fr. Kapoun and who pays Fr. Kapoun a bonus.

Nienstadt should immediately either stop paying Fr. Kapoun or order him to live in a remote, secure, independent treatment center where he’ll be kept away from kids.